Early Christmas

I received a great Christmas gift early December. My permanent residency was already approved! Time flew so fast that I did not notice I’ve already been staying in the regional area for almost 3 years now.

Getting a state-sponsored temporary visa to migrate was not as bad as others might think. The state and the local council are supportive to get you started and established. In Geelong, there are state-funded programs to assist you in adjusting to the Australian labour market from re-writing your curriculum vitae the Australian way, to understanding the work environment, to equipping you with new skills highly in demand in Australia if needed. In addition to that, the program officers of Diversitat and the City of Greater Geelong are really lovely ladies. Special thanks goes to Anita and Manon!

Most people I meet are warm and nice, always ready to give you a smile and ask how your day was. Workmates are great and will go out of their way to help. I have a few workmates who gave us a few furniture and assisted us in picking up bulky items. When I need a lift, my workmates are more than happy to pick me up and drop me off. The local Filipino community in Geelong is also a big plus. They made us feel welcome and assisted us substantially in settling down. They became our family here. And of course, Filipino gatherings bring us back a bit to the Philippines.

Landing the first job is the hardest first hurdle . But once I had the local experience under my belt, everything else fell into place. Yes, there are bigger challenges along the way. But, life wouldn't be as sweet without them.

Overdrive

I listened to Eraserhead's Overdrive song all morning to celebrate my passing the P plate driving test (well, apart from celebrating with pizza overload from La Porchetta last night). Yes, finally, I nailed the exam. It was not the best drive I've had as I was still frantically nervous. But, I did not have a major boo boo. After failed exams, it was a relief - one goal out of the very long list. In fact, I can smell freedom.

My journey to getting the licence was no big joke. There was no easy route or shortcut I could have done. I have no relatives to teach me and driving lessons with an instructor was very costly. Fast-tracking my learning was a juggle of budget and time. Thus, if you are intending to migrate and have no driving experience, it might be worthwhile to learn to drive prior to coming over as knowing the basics will save you time and money.

Getting your driving licence

Each state has different processes, policies and parameters in implementing traffic management and issuing licences and registrations. In the state of Victoria, Vicroads is the authorised institution for these.. I listed below the steps from being a learner to getting Probationary driver’s licence based on my experience and circumstances:

1. Book the exam for learner’s permit with Vicroads. You may book online, by phone or by visiting their nearest branch. The fees payable may be found here.
2. Read the “Road to Solo Driving” handbook.
3. Do the Practice Learner Permit test. The more practice tests you do the better.
4. Take the Learner Permit Test and make sure you have the identity documents required as discussed in Vicroads website.
5. Start learning to drive with full licence drivers (relatives or friends), with a driving instructor, or a combination of both. Note that recorded driving experience of at least 120 hours is required in the log book if the learner is under 21 years old.
6. Book and take the Hazard Perception Test when you have completed the 120 hours of driving if you are under 21 years old or when you are confident enough to drive if you are over 21 years old.
7. Book and take the actual driving test for your P plate. The Probationary licence is to be held for 3 years before a full licence can be issued. If you are under 21, a red P plate or P1 licence is issued to you to be held for 1 year before you graduate to the green P plate or the P2 licence to be held for 2 years. If you are over 21, you will be issued a green P plate or P2 licence to be held for 3 years. If you are a holder of an overseas licence for at least 3 years, you may be issued a full licence. It is best to ask Vicroads about this.
8. Drive safely.
   

Since I failed the driving exam a few times, I repeated step 7 a few times too. It was frustrating and heart-breaking. It felt like our life was put on hold. But, it did not stop me from attempting again. Eventually, persistence paid off.

Lesson: Never quit especially if you can see a hint of success.

A Walk to Work (Remember?)

Walking is a usual thing downunder especially if you rely on public transport. I have my fair share. I started walking to and from work since I started with my current employer 15 months ago. Remember I shared with you in a previous post that I liked the office location when I first saw the job ad?

The office is only 2 kilometres of residential and industrial roads from home. There is no bus heading that way though so I need to walk for about 25 minutes, one way, except when someone gives me a lift home or when the weather is so bad that I had to take a cab. I must admit there are times that I hate I'm walking especially during the winter season when it's so cold and frosty. But, there are more instances that I love it as it gives me time to think and reflect especially when the sun is up and the breeze is nice. The regular walk was also an efficient way to exercise and loose the baby weight I gained during pregnancy.

However after having 2 broken umbrellas to wind storm and losing 10 kilograms of weight, the routine changed this morning when hubby drove me to work (he got his license the other day and already secured the car insurance). I know I should think about the benefits of walking but I also want to enjoy having a cutie chauffer in the meantime. Who would not like one?

All Day Sneezing!

Yeah, hay fever hit me. I was sneezing at work most of last week including the weekend. My eyes were itchy like there were little grains inside. I can't even control myself from rubbing my eyes, which a colleague from my AIM days strongly discourage. She says it can bring in the wrinkles. Sorry Mia I really can't help it. My head felt really heavy too and my nose was really stuffed.

This is my 3rd Spring season and I still had not figured it out myself that I could get hit by hay fever, which is rarely experienced in Manila, until my driving instructor pointed out that my symptoms were hay fever and not something else. He was right. One tablet of Telfast 120 did the work. Straightaway, I felt relieved without feeling drowsy.

For new migrants and tourists coming over during Spring, hay fever is one that you need to be prepared for especially if you have allergy history. Stay away from areas with high pollen count as this triggers the allergens. Bring with you an anti-hay fever tablet or anti-histamine so you will always be ready if you have an attack. It can save you from ruining your day and vacation.

How I wish I am not prone to allergies but I am already thankful that my son does not have it.

It Takes Patience

Finding work in Australia is more difficult nowadays especially in regional areas and even in city centres compared to the time I arrived in 2007. The global financial crisis caused unemployment rate to increase by 1.6 points from 4.2% in Aug 2008 to 5.8% in Aug 2009. It is comparably lower than the earlier forecast of 8.5% to 10% but the underlying underemployment is a concern. The reduction of hours worked instead of outright lay off best explains the case. More and more companies are shifting their employees from full-time work to part-time or even casual work just to be able to make ends meet without losing the talent they've developed for many years.

This is a better set-up than what happened to a few friends who lost their job with just an hour or two notice. I know it was devastating and frustrating as I had a fair share of the same fate when my previous company, where I worked as an analyst, closed down the very same day I went back to work from maternity leave in 2008. No notice, no redundancy offer. The only saving grace is that I could stay with my son a bit more. But, I have a visa condition to fulfill, bills to pay, and formula milk to buy. So, I had to hit the road straightaway and look for job. There was no time to cry over spilled milk so to speak.

With the support of my husband and in laws and the contagious giggles of Kimi who was barely 8 weeks old then, my spirit was high and my outlook was optimistic. I did not waste any time. When Kimi was asleep I was scouring http://www.seek.com.au/ and http://www.careerone.com.au/ for jobs and tips to hurdle the job hunt. I practically applied for any job that I believe I can do or I can learn to do from waiting and cleaning jobs to research and analyst work. I prepared several CVs to fit the job description, customised application letters addressing the selection criteria, and answered online essays required for the application. I also kept all files I sent out with file names for each job to easily see which CV, application letter and selection criteria I used for which job. Before interviews, I read through the files to make sure I do not mix up the information especially the essay part.

I made sure friends and acquaintances know that I was looking for work. I also emailed the recruitment agent who hired me with my previous (first in Australia) job to share what happened and to seek her assistance in considering me for job vacancies with their clients. She was kind enough to forward my CV to her colleague who interviewed me for a full-time casual work in a customer service and logistics capacity. All throughout I kept an optimistic view. I took action and prayed keeping in mind to ASK, BELIEVE, and RECEIVE. My strategy worked -- I got the job and started working again when Kimi was barely 10 weeks old. Since it was only a casual work, I did not stop looking for other more permanent opportunities.

I prayed more. Then, an answer came when I got a call for an interview for the job that I was really wanting when I was just starting the job hunt (Yes, it took them more than a month to shortlist applicants). Actually, it was the location (2 kilometres walk from home) and the company that I liked from the moment I read through their website -- I got the feeling that they look after their people and welcome multicultural diversity. An important consideration for a migrant in the long-run. I dressed up well for the interview to exude the right impression and confidence as well as feel good about myself. That inside feeling matters as it is quickly sensed by the interviewers. Again, the strategy worked and I am already working with them for more than a year. Being new to the industry, I still have so much to learn, jargons to comprehend, and processes and policies to understand. As long as I continue to pray and believe, there will be opportunities for career growth to be received.

Lesson: It takes patience and strategy for new migrants to get a job these days. It's better for your health to be optimistic than stress yourself and worry.

Quiet Sunday

We did not have anything planned last Sunday. After breakfast, the sun was up, a rare occasion these days, so I decided to bring Kimi to the small park across our house and for a short walk around the block -- our bonding time sort of since I work full-time. I quickly dressed him in several layers of clothes and jacket, prepared his small bag and ‘smart’ trike, and in less than 15 minutes, I was already pushing him. Have to move fast. The dark clouds might come anytime -- as you might know Melbourne and surrounds including Geelong is notorious for its four seasons in one day.

The walk to the park was great. Kimi was excited as always. He was even glancing and giggling back at me while I was pushing him and his trike. I put him in the swing and I told him to hold the side straps tight while I was also holding his hands then lightly swing him. He loved it! I found a front strap to buckle him up a bit. After a few more swings and enough confidence, I slowly let him go that I was able to snap photos of him.

He moved his feet and body to fit between the strap and the swing. (Imagine him inching and wriggling his body). I knew right then and there that he wanted to walk around so I unlocked the buckle around his waist and put him down.

He went straight to the seesaw and I positioned and held him to make sure he would not fall over. After a while, he motioned to go down. He explored the area, ran after me, and laughed his heart out.

After a few more minutes, the wind was getting strong so I decided to start our walk around the block before eventually heading home in time for his morning nap. He enjoyed the walk, smiling to everyone that walked past and saying aw aw! to the dogs.

Upon arriving home, he probably missed his Tatay (dad in Filipino) that he went to him for a cuddle straightaway and slept in his arms. They were such a bliss to watch, isn't it?


Life is tough moving away from our comfort zones, leaving family and friends behind, starting anew. However, simple outing like this makes me like living in Australia. The open spaces and parks and the priority they put on families and raising kids are really great -- something that can outweigh the benefit of access to affordable nannies in the Philippines. :)

Getting Lost in Oz?

If you are a new migrant in Australia and have no access to GPS, whereis.com.au is the way to go in getting instructions on how to reach your destination. They are now providing landmarks together with the turn-by-turn instructions either by foot or by car.

But, if you are using public transport in the state of Victoria, I recommend that you check Metlink Melbourne before travelling to plan your trip and get instructions on how to go to your next destination. It includes bus, tram, and train schedule, turn-by-turn instructions when you need to walk, and, of course, a leg and stop map.

In case, you're heading my way, let me know so I can prepare a cuppa!

My Men are Taking over

Straight from work on Thursday night, I took a Jetstar flight from Avalon to Sydney. Not for my regular visit but for packing my son and hubby’s stuff and bringing them home in Geelong. The entire flight was really bumpy, with my stomach turning upside down a few times. It did not in any way, however, change my enthusiasm and excitement for the upcoming weekend. Wondering why? -- because Kimi and hubby would now be staying with me.

Yes, they moved back to Geelong over the weekend. We all drove down to Geelong early Saturday. In contrast with my flight to Sydney, the 8 plus hours land trip was "smooth sailing," something we hoped and prayed for. However, driving an old but well maintained car with a 16 month toddler, who can be fussy at times, would really make you a bit anxious during the trip. It was good, though, that Kimi cooperated. He slept most of the trip. He ate, played and sang with me when he was awake. He screamed a few times but they did not last long. Overall, I can still say he is my happy baby.

Upon arriving at home, I thought the battle started. Kimi did not want to go out of the car. He was observing and looking around. He knew it’s not his nonna’s house. With a bit of a struggle, I was still able to get him out of his car seat and put him inside the house. He did not want to touch anything, he was still observing. I let him sit in his new toddler chair and table. There was resistance for a few minutes. I left him inside the house with hubby’s uncle to help hubby get their things in the car. Lo and behold, when I came back Kimi was already walking around the house, following me whenever I put bags in our room, the kitchen, and the laundry. He was already inspecting his new abode. And in less than an hour, he was already so comfortable that he wanted to take control of the TV/DVD remote and press the desktop computer’s keyboard.

Kimi’s first night was not as bad as I had imagined it would be. He wanted to be put to sleep by his Tatay. He was tossing and turning when the clock hit 4am. But there was no big drama, no long loud crying at all.

So far the first four days of Kimi in Geelong went well. A lot of it attributed to hubby’s good care. He is keeping Kimi well adjusted first before he hits the road and look for work in Geelong and Melbourne. Whenever, I’m home they are maximising my presence. Hubby is taking over the desktop computer and Kimi is following me everywhere from the kitchen to the bedroom and even to the door of the toilet. They are now both running my life and I like it, especially their big hug and kisses, and the dancing, and the singing, and the laughter and the meals together.

Now, I can say we are truly a family.

He's Coming Back

Looking after a newborn baby as a new migrant could be tough especially for working parents as you have no familiar support systems easily accessible. Child rearing is a different approach compared to what I have seen and experienced with my niece and nephew. In the Philippines, a middle income family can afford to hire a nanny to help with looking after the kids. Down under, a nanny is not affordable. There are family carers and child care centres, though. However, putting our son in child care at a very young age was not an option for us. So, we accepted my mother-in-law's offer, who is living in Sydney, to look after our son. It is an hour and a half plane ride from Geelong. We battled being away from our son and the monthly visit in return for a family member's care. It may not be the ideal set-up but we believe it is better for our son. Don't get me wrong though. Child care centres may still be a good place to start if you research and check them well enough.

The good news is my little angel is finally going back to Geelong in July instead of me heading to Sydney when I get my permanent residency. Times are tough especially with the longer than usual financial slump. We decided that it would not be a smart move to let go a stable and secure job and risk looking for work in Sydney where competition is much higher with a lot of qualified workers getting unemployed to recession. Apart from that, we will be able to strengthen our ties as a young family and truly depend on each other to reach our family goals if we only have each other.

In preparation, I made a list of a few things that we need to do:

• Hire a carpet steam cleaner
• Keep the stack of books in an area that he can’t reach
• Childproof the cupboards, drawers, tables, and power points (outlets)
• Re-arrange the shed to provide space for his bike and art and crafts area
• Look for child care or family carer
• Arrange for his things to be sent back to Geelong
• Do a general cleaning before the carpet cleaning
• Draft a new schedule and routine for him
• Book a flight to pick him up

I am already excited. I have a long list that I want to do with my son and husband. It may be a hit and miss but what matters is we are together sharing the journey ahead. I will definitely post our experiences as we go along.

Am I Pregnant?

In a span of 1 month, two migrant friends asked me what I did when I first found out that I was pregnant. They were asking about whether I went to a private OB or a public OB, how much were the fees, etc. They are new mothers-to-be and have also been in Australia for around two years now. I gladly responded to their queries, reminiscing how I went about the entire experience. I thought I better share it here and be of help to other new migrant mums out there. When I missed my monthly period, I did not bother checking a pregnancy kit. I initially thought my body was just adjusting to the cold weather and I was just stressed over the job hunt and it would soon come once I started with my new job in a week. In addition, I don’t feel anything different. No morning sickness and craving that they were talking about. Three weeks after missing my period and enjoying my new work, husband prompted me to consult with the doctor. Doctor Hunt Not aware of the Australian processes, I got a phone directory, looked for an obstetrician and rang a private OB clinic. To my surprise, I was informed to go to my General Practitioner (GP) for a referral. As I did not have a GP yet, I insisted that I already knew that I needed to see an obstetrician. But, still the receptionist pointed out that it is the policy – I need a referral letter. Few days later, I again consulted the phone directory to look for a GP. I was still in the dark of the Australian health system so I called each clinic near town to look for a GP. About three medical clinics no longer accept new patients on a regular basis. That was a big shock. I wondered how come these things happen in a developed country such as Australia. I tried my luck again and rang Geelong Women’s Clinic, a private clinic just a few blocks from work. The receptionist were nice enough to squeeze me in one of the doctor’s schedule as they have a policy for new patients to book at least 1.5 months in advance. I told them my case and they booked me for an earlier schedule. But, still I had to wait for 3 long weeks. While waiting, I had a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables especially cauliflower and broccoli. I did not have any alcohol and coffee in my system. Had lots of milk (breakfast, dinner and sometimes lunch) and 3-4 litres of water as I had difficulty with having a pee. It felt like I was having a urinary tract infection, which according to my readings is easily contracted by pregnant women during the first trimester. Having lots of water took away the pain of peeing. Otherwise, I would have needed medication to remove the infection. But, this should be consulted with the GP. GP Consultation My doctor’s appointment came and I explained to her my case. The first thing she asked me was if I already tried checking the pregnancy kit, which I did not do. So, she asked me to do the test in the clinic and it was confirmed! There was neither physical check nor blood test. She discussed with me whether I would like to be referred to a private OB or to the public hospital’s ante-natal clinic. I told her that I am a new migrant and a paying patient and my medical insurance will not reimburse any obstetrics-related claims yet as there is a 12 month waiting period. To help me decide, she then asked her assistants to call the clinics and hospitals and check the prices for me – consultation, hospital bed, delivery fees of both public and private OB. The doctor gave me scripts requesting for blood test done at Pathology Care to check haemoglobin level, blood group, German measles immunity and Rhesus factor and the ultrasound to check the baby’s measurement, due date, heartbeat, placenta, and baby’s condition at Lake Imaging during the following weeks. I was not given any antibiotics for my pee problem as the water therapy worked well but was advised to take any pregnancy vitamins available at the chemist. After about 10-15 minutes of discussion and consultation, the clinic charged me $60. The First Tests Upon arrival at work, I rang both Path Care and Lake Imaging to arrange an appointment. With Path Care, I was informed I could just pop in as they are serving on a first come, first serve basis. But, with Lake Imaging, I needed to wait for 3 weeks for an available slot and should come with full bladder, which means I had to drink 500-1000ml two hours before the schedule and hold it. It was difficult since I cannot control my pee starting week 10. It felt like the baby was pushing it. In fact, I was not able to hold it for the ultrasound appointment and we needed to re-schedule it, which was already on my 15th week. By then, the technician was able to see that I might be having a boy and it can be confirmed on my week 20-21 ultrasound. Going Public or Private All the results were forwarded to my GP and everything were going okay. The GP gave me the price comparison of public and private hospital. Basing on the hospital bed fees ($700 per day) and consultation fees ($70 per visit), I initially decided to see a private OB. However, upon learning from the private OB’s receptionist that the doctor charges $3000 for normal delivery and may be more if there’ll be complications, the practical side of me thought twice as that would be a substantial out of pocket cost. I rang my GP’s assistant and requested for a new referral to the public hospital’s ante-natal clinic, which would charge $1000 for the delivery fee even if I would have a C-section – the sure $2000 difference could already buy a lot of baby stuff. My GP’s clinic faxed the referral letter straight to the ante-natal clinic of the public hospital and I booked my first appointment after a few days. Ante-Natal Clinic I waited for 3 weeks for my appointment with the midwife at the ante-natal clinic. She explained to us my options of care and suggested that since I had no complications so far, I can have a combined care of the midwives and the hospital’s OB. We readily said yes as the midwives seemed so competent, loving and caring. A student nurse was also introduced to us and asked if she could monitor and accompany me throughout my pregnancy. Because of my love for learning, I said yes and accommodated her. It was a plus factor since she was there during doctor’s visit when my husband could not come. In essence The first 20 weeks of my pregnancy was an emotional rollercoaster ride. I just migrated and we just got married. There was joy, excitement, doubt, fear and frustration (over the medical process). But, overall we maintained optimism on what the future would bring for our bundle of joy and our starting family. I was sure the angels and the stars conspired when we had Kimi.

Going Down Under

It was my husband, then boyfriend, who first moved to Australia in 2004 under a student visa with an ultimate goal of migrating under a family-sponsored visa. At that time, Australian citizens and permanent residents in Sydney can only sponsor skilled migrants from a list of in-demand skills. Thus, he had to take that longer and more expensive route.I did not bother waiting for him to get his permanent residency and sponsor me under a spouse visa. It will take longer, marriage was not discussed at length, plus the "proud and independent" side of me wanted to migrate on my own as early as possible. Don't get me wrong. Other couples I met through the application process opted to get married first, either church or civil, then, applied for an Australian visa. This way, resources are saved. Smart move, isn't it?


It took a while and a lot of reading before I was finally able to decide on which type of visa best suits me. There are several skilled migration visas and they (subclass numbers and policies) are changing almost every 6 months since I started with my information gathering. Thus, it is must to do a lot of reading yourself if you plan to migrate to Australia. Information you get here will not be enough as some of them may already be obsolete in 6 months time. This only gives you an idea on how I went through the process. I am not a migration agent but I am migrant who went through the process myself in 2006-2007.

• Read the information about the different skilled migrant visas at http://www.immi.gov.au/ or specifically the general skilled migration page. There are various visas you can choose from, depending on your circumstances and the points (for age, skill, English language ability, specific experience, state government nomination, Australian experience, Australian qualifications, occupation in demand/job offer, community language, regional Australia study, and partner skills) you will get. If you are outside of Australia, you can apply for skilled independent visa, a state-sponsored regional visa, or a family-sponsored visa.
• If you are lucky enough to get an employer even before you get a migrant visa, you may go through the employer-sponsored visa, which will allow you to work in Australia under the company sponsoring you. This visa however will not let you work with another company and will not be considered as a permanent migrant visa that will enable you to apply for Australian citizenship. Thus, upon arrival in Australia and after working for a few months, you will still need to apply for a general skilled migrant visa for people in Australia and satisfy the requirements of the general skilled migrant visa that suits you. These visas are fully discussed at visa options inside Australia page.
• If you lack enough points, you may also take the route of studying first in Australia for at least 2 years. Once you finish the course, you may apply for one of the general skilled migrant visas. This, however, does not assure you of an automatic migrant visa grant. Studying in Australia for at least 2 years will only give you extra points and waive the mandatory requirement of recent work experience of 12 months in the last 24 months. You will still need to accumulate the required number of points for the skilled migrant visa that you are applying for. Thus, it needs careful research.
  
• For those applying for a state-sponsored visa, this is an additional step. Research on each of the state's sponsorship requirements and processes. Bear in mind that you need to prove to them that you will be a valuable asset to the state and you can manage to settle and adapt well. Review the skills that each state is sponsoring for the permanent migrant visa and the provisional visa so you can carefully consider them in choosing your nominated skills.

Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia

• Choose the skill that best describes what you do and your qualifications. The list of skills, assessing body, and the corresponding points you get for the skill can be found at the SOL.
• Thoroughly study the requirements and processes of the assessing body for your nominated skill. Read, read, and read. If there is anything unclear, ask the assessing body or ask those who have applied for assessment of the same skill.
• Gather and prepare your documents for the skills assessment based on the guidelines issued by your assessing body. Getting copies of your qualifications and job descriptions may be a daunting task. Thus, it might be beneficial to get extra copies for your visa application.
• Send your application to the assessing body either via courier or online if this facility is available. If there is an online application, you might save a bit of waiting time as the assessing body no longer need to encode your application details. Then, wait for the results. The results will be posted to you by the assessing body in 6-14 weeks. This may vary for each assessing body.
• While waiting for the results of your skills assessment, gather information about and reviewers of IELTS, which will test your English language ability. Information on IELTS can be found at: http://www.ielts.org/. If you get at least 7.0 band score in each of the 4 components of IELTS, which are (1) reading comprehension, (2) listening, (3) writing, (4) speaking, you will get 25 points for English language ability. The points you get for English language ability is discussed thoroughly at: English eligibility page.
• Book your IELTS exam allowing enough time for the review depending on your needs. Do practice tests available online or with IELTS review centres to gauge your preparedness. Watch television shows and videos in British and Australian English. It takes a bit of time to get used to the accent especially if you are more familiar with the American English. BBC is a good one. Overall, just practice and come to the exam ahead of time with your passport, driver's license or SSS identification on hand. In 2 weeks time, you will receive your exam results.
• Additional step for the state-sponsored visa: Gather your documents for your state sponsorship application. Note that requirements vary for each state. Send your application via courier or online if available. Make sure to present your application in a way that brings out an extensive research of the state in terms of its quality of life, cost of living, and work opportunities. Some states would require proof of your financial standing to show that you have enough resources when you migrate. Note though that you will not need to physically show them the money when you come over. Thus properties and other physical assets may be included together with your bank statements. Wait again. This may take 2-6 weeks depending on the state that you are applying as they have different processes. In my case, I received sponsorship from South Australia in 4 weeks and Victoria in 7 weeks. Note: most state sponsorship applications are free.
• Once all the results arrived, gather your documents and requirements for your visa application which include but not limited to passport and birth certificate of all applicants, education qualifications of main applicant, skills assessment results, IELTS results, proof of genuine and continuing relationship of married couples etc. Print out the application forms (Form 1276; Form 80; Form 47A) and visa-specific checklist so you can have a go at answering the required information and check you have all the requirements. It takes time to look for the information so it is handy to have them in one paper even if you apply online. Scan all your documents in coloured as they will be attached when you apply online. Information on application charges i.e. how much and how to pay can be found here.
• Apply online or send your application by post or courier to Adelaide Skilled Processing Centre or Brisbane Skilled Processing whichever is applicable to your visa. If you send it by courier, you can track when your application is received through your courier's tracking system and in a few weeks you will receive an acknowledgment letter from the Immigration. If you apply online, you can track your application at the online system using your account. The acknowledgment letter will provide you with an email address where you can send a blank email to get information on which applications (based on application date) are already being allocated and processed.
• Now the waiting starts. If you have a query with your application contact Immigration using the ways discussed at this page . If you have a change in circumstances, say the wife got pregnant or you changed address, inform Immigration about this. For more information, check here.
• If your application has been allocated, your case officer will write and request you to provide the additional documents such as the medical exam and the police clearance of all applicants in your application. You may have the medical exam in any Immigration Panel Doctors as explained on this page and police clearance as discussed here. Since the medical exam results and police clearance have short validity period, usually 1 year, and the application review takes longer, it is best to secure them when the case officer requested.
• During this time, the case officer will thoroughly review your application and the information you provided. They may call your current and previous employers or even ask their embassies to do random visits of smaller business establishments to check the legitimacy of documents submitted resulting in a fair bit of time.
• Then, visa is finally granted. The instructions on where to have the visa stamped on your passport are provided on the visa grant letter. It might be worth checking the website of the Australian Embassy in your country of location. This may vary from country to country. Once you have your passport back with the visa, book your flight and start to think about your plan to physically move! Remember that you and all other applicants should enter Australia on the date of last entry stipulated on your visa. This is usually the expiration of the medical exam results or the police clearance whichever comes first.

These are the general steps that I followed to migrate to the Land Down Under. The processing time varies now. A guesstimate is 12-15 months on the average. It is enough time to learn more about Australia and strategise the big move of your family. It is very important to plan ahead especially if you have kids to consider.


Wishing everyone all the best with your own migration journey. Would love to exchange insights with you! :D

A Good Way to Meet other Moms

I was looking for a music school for Kimi about 2 weeks ago when I came across Kidspot. It is a website offering mothers different articles on being a mother, a wife, and a woman. It has loads of information from pregnancy to the different stages of baby development - toddler, preschool, and school age. There are also several tools that you can utilise such as pregnancy journal, ovulation calculator, due date calculator, kid's activity finder, baby name finder, etc. And, of course the feature that attracted me most making me go back and regularly visit the site is the Kidspot Social. It gives me a chance to communicate with other mothers who share the same passion and think of what is good for their babies.

The groups inKidspot Social gives me the space to share and learn more about the culture and ways of life in Australia. It offers me an idea how other mothers are coping with child rearing and what activities keep them preoccupied when they give up their full-time job to look after their kids. It also gives me a chance to gain new acquaintances whom I can share my thoughts and hopefully develop into good friendships.

If you are a mom like myself, you might like the site too! See you there and let's explore!

Give me that leave!

At the moment, the Australian government is providing a maternity allowance or the more popularly known "Baby Bonus." It was intended to help the family for the baby's initial needs like clothes, blankets, cot, feeding bottles, milk, etc. Babies born on or after 1 July 2008 receive AU$5,000, which is regularly adjusted for inflation rate.

When Kimi was born 7 months ago, we applied to receive this assistance. The form was enclosed in a kit given by the hospital together with the birth registration application forms, and immunisation information. The application form is a bit lengthy as you need to establish a Centrelink/Family Assistance case account/number. It required visa and passport details, income details, bank details, spouse details, and of course the baby's details and the proof of the child's birth registration. So, we submitted the birth registration form of Kimi prior to applying the "baby bonus." At that time, we got roughly AU$4,100. We put it in Kimi's bank account, reserving for his future needs espcecially for his education. It was a good incentive and a good assistance to starting families especially to new migrants.

However, there is still lacking. There is no paid maternity leave yet put in place. For a developed country, it is quite surprising since even less developed countries have at least 30 days of paid maternity leave. Philippines has 60 days paid maternity leave; Indonesia has 3 months; Bangladesh has 12 weeks; and the list goes on. I reckon it is time for Australia to make the big leap of mandating paid maternity leave, which at the moment is only offered by bigger companies as benefits to their employees. This big move will encourage more women to have kids and will create a more nurturing environment for babies and families.

So, please give mothers and soon-to-be-mums that 18 weeks of paid maternity leave!

Cut it short, please!

Since I came to Sydney then moved to Geelong, I have not had a haircut until a week ago. It was the first time I had not had a haircut for longer than a year. If my mom had not told me that I look more mature, I would not have had my hair cut. But, I have actually been thinking weeks before if I should really have it cut.

First, I am apprehensive of the style of cut they do here especially the less expensive ones, those that charge less than $20. A friend, trying to spend less, got a haircut for $10 on the "specials" day. It was too bad that she had it re-done after a few days and spent $10 more. Second, I don't know any decent, "reasonable" salon in Geelong. I know, I should have asked my former colleagues at my previous work, they were having a haircut at least once in 2 months so probably they can refer me to their hairdressers. But, the shy side of me did not bother to ask since I have not seen them for a couple of months now. I felt too awkward to ask where I could have my haircut. So, I planned to have it cut in Sydney in early August where my husband's relatives go. But, we ran out of time. There were more important things to do and it was difficult to fit all of them in just 1.5 days. Darn! I was left with no choice but just leave my hair long.

When I forwarded my son's photos to my mom, she phoned to tell me my son is so cute and that my hair so long that it makes me so mature. She actually discussed about my hair longer than she discussed about my son. Imagine that? So, I felt the urgency; I don't want people to tell me that I already looked "losyang" after having a baby. I went to a salon in town to have it cut. When the girl asked what I want, I said, "Cut it SHORT and layered, please." She asked, "Are you sure? It's already long." I answered back, "Yes, cut it short, please."

For whatever reason, styling your hair, cutting it short gives a certain level of satisfaction. I can't blame girls who just broke up with their significant other resort to doing something with their hair. It's that sense of sudden satisfaction that warms the heart.

Lucky Girl

It's been a little over a year since I came to Australia. A year full of blessings and surprises that I have so many things to be thankful for. I made a list of the top 10, although, I know that there are more.

1. I have a gorgeous, healthy baby boy born in February. He is 5 months now, growing well everyday. I can't wait to see him again when I visit him in his grandmother's place in Sydney. Why he is there is another story. But, I'm happy that he is well taken care of by his nonna instead of us bringing him everyday in a childcare centre.
2. Got myself a cute, sweet, and loving husband who despite of the difficulty of moving to Geelong still opt to stay with me. We've also been thinking that he should move back to Sydney to be with our son while I fulfill my visa conditions until late 2009 or early 2010.
3. I have a supportive family-in-law especially a great mother-in-law. She stayed 3 months in Geelong when we had our baby.
4. I got nice and friendly colleagues in my first job at Chartwell. They are very supportive to me from being a new migrant to getting married to being a new mom. I will always keep in touch.
5. I was "adopted" by generous and helpful Filipino-Australian families in Geelong. They welcomed me with open arms eventhough they just knew me through the phone and the internet.
6. My husband and I are renting a cosy place and we are slowly filling it up with the necessary appliances and furniture - new and seconds from friends and St. Vincent de Paul. We have covered the basics and I am happy with that.
7. After the closure of the first company I have worked with, I managed to get a temporary job in 2-3 weeks and a permanent job in 5 weeks. It is a new industry to me but the work is still related to my qualifications and I love it!
8. My small and big families are happy and in good health. We managed to enjoy short trips, picnics, orange picking, and dining out without busting our budget. I am already thrilled for our future trips when we get our driving license soon.
9. I am coping well with the new environment, new culture, new life, and new responsibilities as a new migrant, new wife, and new mom. I am learning to cook and clean, things I did not do much before I migrated. Aside from the burnt brownies I did a month ago, I can say Im doing well overall. :D
10. I gained new friends whom I would like to know more and hang out with. It would be good if we can see them more often.

People say I'm a lucky girl and I'm thankful for that. Thus, I am paying it forward to other migrants in my own little ways.